Motive: No motive. It was a heat of the moment crime.
Crime: Murder of Karen Price at 29, Fitzhamon Embankment in Cardiff.
Method: Attacked and then strangled.
Sentence: Charlton was sentenced to life imprisonment, whilst Ali, who was under age at the time of the murder, and didn't play as great a part as Charlton was ordered to be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure.
Interesting facts: This crime is better known for the forensic skills involved in the detection than for the identity of the perpetrators. When Karen's body was found, it was little more than a skeleton and some rotten clothing. Various tests on her teeth and an analysis of her physical attributes gave the police clues as to her age, height and race. From the evidence of insect life in the remains and the soil surrounding it, and the evidence of the clothes she was wearing, the time of death could be placed as between 1981 and 1984, and it also showed that the body had not been buried immediately after death.
Richard Neave of the University of Manchester reconstructed the girl's face using the skull. From this she was recognised, and DNA profiling and dental records proved this. The model was shown on the television programme Crimewatch UK in the hope that it would bring further evidence to light. Idris Ali recognised her, and was persuaded by friends to phone in and give evidence. It came to light that Ali was Karen's small time pimp, and that Charlton was a client. Charlton had killed her after she refused to pose for pornographic photographs.